Yesterday was Trans Day of Visibility, and because of the times we live in, it was treated as an excuse to attack trans rights. In the US, the US Supreme Court struck down Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy in an 8-1 ruling, under the ludicrous rubric that banning “talk therapy” was impacting free speech (even though talk therapy should be classed as medical services, as the dissenting judge pointed out). And in Idaho, the governor signed a bill to make it a felony for a trans person to use a public washroom that is not their assigned sex at birth.
Back in Canada, Alberta premier Danielle Smith tabled a bill that purports to “remove politics and ideology” from schools, which among other things, means ensuring there are no Pride flags ever raised at Alberta schools. (Noted is that the current ban on informing parents if a student joins a GSA is not being changed). There are a lot of questions around what this is supposed to mean, and whether it’s only in classrooms, or if teachers are allowed to post opinions online, or anything like that, but it’s a weird and troubling decision by Smith to pursue this particular line of attack, and especially because it’s going to create a system of surveillance and denunciations, which is starting to sound pretty Soviet for a self-professed “libertarian” like Smith.
This can be taken is so many dangerous directions. And once something like this is enshrined in legislation, it creates a culture of surveillance where educators are going to live in fear of being secretly recorded and reported (look at what's happening in the U.S.!!)
The bill seeks to "bar school divisions or employees from making statements on “political, social or ideological matters” outside the school division’s purview."Curious if the government will think a teacher talking about being LGBTQ2S+ issues at all is "outside the school division's purview."
"Nicolaides also wouldn’t say whether the flag limitation would apply to stickers or magnets or other imagery teachers might have in their classrooms, except to say they can’t have ideological symbols."In a similar vein, could teachers get in trouble having, say, a Pride flag sticker on desk?
For a government who loves free speech, this seems a massive affront to freedom of expression for teachers and school staff on like, a very basic level.Very curious what the unions will say about all of this …
This in and of itself is a problem—it treats straight, white men as the default norm, and everyone else as “political,” and when you are effacing queer and trans people in the dame of “neutrality,” that is very, very political and is not neutral in the slightest. And Smith is going to keep getting away with this kind of thing because nobody is protesting around the clock or organizing a general strike to stop her.
Ukraine Dispatch
Ukrainian drones struck the Russian oil terminal at Ust-Luga for the fifth time in ten days. European diplomats were in Bucha to commemorate the 2022 massacre by Russian forces there. President Zelenskyy is hoping the Americans can convince Russia to enter into an “Easter truce” (and good luck with that).
Good reads:
- Mark Carney announced a $3.8 billion conservation programme, including new national parks. He also condemned Israel’s illegal invasion of Lebanon.
- Carney said that Alberta is missing deadlines that are part of the MOU, but he’s still pushing to get another west coast pipeline built.
- Carney attended a closed-door fundraiser for Michael Ma, and praised him after the media blow-up over his performance at committee around forced labour.
- The Globe and Mail circulated rumours of a potential prorogation after the by-election, which Carney shot down.
- Anita Anand denounced Israel’s plans to execute Palestinian detainees.
- Gary Anandasangaree announced a federal top-up for Toronto programmes to help prevent gun and gang violence.
- The Americans have a new list of “trade irritants,” and some of them are hypocritical, others are retaliation or their tariffs.
- PMRA has lifted their ban on using strychnine to deal with gophers on the prairies, at least for this year; the Conservatives took credit for the decision.
- The federal government has taken over operation of the vaccine injury compensation programme that was launched during COVID amidst problems.
- Artemis II is slated to launch today, with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen aboard.
- The promised hydrogen industry in Newfoundland and Labrador has been slow to build up, in part because of infrastructure and slow subsidies from the EU.
- Pierre Poilievre declared that he would cancel the high-speed rail project (while at the same time complains that we can’t build anything).
- Former Ontario NDP leader and UN ambassador Stephen Lewis (father of new NDP leader Avi Lewis) passed away from cancer. (Reactions here).
- Althia Raj is starting to suspect that there will be public dollars flowing to a new west coast pipeline, and/or the carbon capture project.
Odds and ends:
Hey guys! If you enjoy the Effin’ Birds comics I punctuate my posts with, please vote for him at the Webby Awards.
I voted!BSers, you should vote too. (Yes, it makes you register, but that's so nobody can spam the voting).
— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2026-03-31T20:53:55.811Z
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